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Asra was their common link. That was all. Muriel had been his partner since they were teens, but since Asra had gone to work at the palace, well... It seemed he had picked up another partner.
Muriel wasn’t terribly fond of Julian. He was loud and obnoxious. He sang often, and they were songs Muriel had never even heard before. The doctor -- and really, how could this man be a doctor? -- insisted they were sea shanties, songs that sailors sang. But Muriel had lived down at the docks with Asra for most of his formative years and he could swear he’d never heard any shanties such as these.
Despite Muriel’s obvious discomfort, Asra took a liking to Julian that turned into something much more than platonic. They may have been partners, but Muriel had never kept Asra bound by monogamy. He knew he was... not the easiest person to have a relationship with. He knew his past. Though Asra had been with him through it all, surely it was hard for him to see what Muriel had become? Surely, he had to know that Muriel was no longer innocent? So Muriel let him wander when it suited him. He always came back.
Until recently. Except, this time, he’d never really wandered, either. Asra would stay with Julian at the palace, and then with Muriel at the hut, and then with Julian, and so on. It was odd. Muriel would actually hear about the things Asra and Julian did together -- that were appropriate for him to know -- and he knew that Asra was telling Julian the same kinds of things about the two of them. Muriel wasn’t used to hearing about Asra’s other person.
Asra showed up at Muriel’s hut one night with Julian in tow. It was a surprise, and Muriel figured it was supposed to be a good one. It wasn’t. He was fine hearing about it. It was fine when it was separate. But Muriel’s time with Asra was important. It was special. And here Asra was, bringing over the man he was using to compensate for Muriel’s shortcomings. He wanted to scream at them to leave; to throw them out of his home and bury himself in his bed of furs until he was sure he was hidden away from everything. Until he was safe.
Muriel didn’t do that. Asra was... he was still there. He still came back. That had to mean something.
So he let them both into the hut. He let them sit at his table, eat his food, and drink his ale. He sat silently as they filled the space with chatter and song, and tried not to shrivel into himself. This was his own home! Why, then, did he feel so out of place?
Julian left on his own, bidding Muriel and Asra each a good night and parting with a kiss to Asra’s hand. Muriel was already exhausted, and Asra was staying the night, so he shuffled over to his furs, sitting down heavily and pulling one of them around his shoulders. He felt a little better, then more so as Asra came to sit on his lap, straddling his waist and cupping his cheeks to press their foreheads together. He didn’t say anything, which was a relief to Muriel. He needed the silence as much as he needed the closeness, and he put up no protests as Asra slowly pushed him to lay back, laying on top of him like he was the only blanket Muriel would ever need.
Since Muriel had been uncomfortable with Julian’s presence, he assumed Asra would know better than to bring him around again. This was not the case. More and more, if Asra was visiting, so was Julian. Perhaps his songs became less annoying, and perhaps his laughter seemed a little more infectious. But he was still Asra’s other partner. There was nothing Muriel had to offer him and nothing he wanted from Julian, either.
Or so he believed.
They arrived at Muriel’s hut one evening, only for Asra to shove Julian through the door, claiming he had to attend to his shop that evening and the two of them should amuse themselves. He was gone before either of them could protest.
Well, Muriel couldn’t very well turn Julian away now that he was there, deep in the woods. He knew the doctor could find his way back into Vesuvia, but it would be... impolite to not let him stay. Muriel liked his privacy -- some might even call him a hermit -- but he wasn’t a heathen. He set the table with the dinner he had been preparing and poured them each a flagon of ale.
Surprisingly, Julian’s company was not so raucous as usual. He chattered, of course, but it was a volume that didn’t dominate the small hut; simply filled it as easily as the crackling fire. Muriel found that he was actually listening to the doctor’s tales, intrigued by the goings-on at the palace. Apparently, the Count was still causing trouble, and Julian much preferred working for the new Countess, instead. She and Asra were great friends to him, since his arrival.
Another surprise: he asked after Muriel. He wondered about the herbs hanging to dry, the glimpse of a garden he’d seen on the other side of the hut, and even the chickens that seemed to hang around the outside of Muriel’s home, whether he had invited them or not. Muriel didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t remember ever saying much to Julian about himself before. It was so much easier to sit back and let Asra handle the conversation and try to block out the noise. But now...
Slowly, Muriel began to explain what he used the herbs for. Some of it was cooking, but he also knew a bit of magic. He’d lived with Asra long enough, he was able to do some potions and wards quite well. The garden helped with some of that, but he also needed to sustain himself. He couldn’t very well walk into town, not with his past in the Coliseum. He hunted and he grew his own vegetation. The chickens sometimes provided him eggs, if one or two of them felt comfortable enough to nest in the bushes nearby. They were friendly, almost neighbors, and the ones that nested close never seemed to mind if he borrowed a couple of eggs.
His words were slow and quiet, deep in his throat. He couldn’t remember talking this much to someone that wasn’t Asra -- and Julian paid attention. He leaned forward, chin balanced on his hand, and sat quietly to actively listen to Muriel’s careful explanations. It made Muriel’s face warm, and he didn’t care to examine why. But he noticed Julian’s cheeks pinken as well, a small smile pulling at his lips and his eyes dilating slightly. It could be attributed to the ale and the low light of the cabin, but he hadn’t looked like that earlier. Julian had never looked at Muriel like that before.
“I see why Asra loves you,” Julian murmured, as Muriel was silent for several moments.
Muriel’s face immediately felt a thousand times warmer, and he ducked his head, unsure how to respond. Thankfully, Julian seemed to understand that Muriel had nothing to add to that, and he simply carried on, telling Muriel stories about the small theater he tended to frequent -- both as a patron and an actor. It wasn’t hard to imagine Julian as an actor, flamboyant and dramatic as he was in regular conversation.
That evening, Julian left Muriel with a kiss to his hand, as he did to Asra when they visited. It felt monumental, though Muriel couldn’t articulate how. It was a small gesture, but even Asra didn’t touch Muriel that way, it wasn’t his nature. It wasn’t in Muriel’s nature to know how to receive it. He was glad Julian was gone, as his cheeks felt as though they would burst into flames. Muriel couldn’t even bear to bury himself under his furs for fear that he would be too warm.
It became Julian’s usual farewell. The three of them would gather for a meal -- and Muriel found it much easier to endure the chatter between the other two men -- and as Julian parted to leave Asra and Muriel for the night, he would kiss Asra’s hand, and then gently pull Muriel’s close to do the same. The second time, Muriel’s face burned just as hot as the first, and Asra teased him about it all night until they finally fell asleep.
Somehow, in the midst of Julian’s gentle affection becoming ritual, Muriel began to enjoy it. He anticipated the gentle press of the doctor’s lips against his knuckles, and something inside him settled each time the small act was complete. It was... it was theirs. Sure, Julian kissed Asra’s hand. But he also kissed the magician’s face, sang with him, talked with him, and did things Muriel continued to not hear about from Asra. This small farewell was just for Muriel and Julian.
Julian appeared alone one night. Muriel was immediately concerned, but the doctor was quick to reassure him. Nothing had gone wrong at the palace. Asra was safe; no one was hurt. It was simply that Julian wanted to spend time with Muriel, and he hoped Muriel wouldn’t mind him dropping in.
Strangely, Muriel didn’t mind. He had to add a little more water to the soup cooking on his hearth, but he didn’t mind at all. Julian talked to him about what had happened at the palace that day. Apparently, it was eventful, as Vesuvia was preparing for a ball of some kind. Muriel wouldn’t attend, but it was nice to hear about the whimsical rooms the Countess was having prepared.
Muriel set the table and poured the ale, and as they ate, Julian asked after the chickens and the garden. The chickens weren’t nesting yet, and the garden was being overrun by rabbits it seemed, but they were at least in good supply for stews, Muriel told him. For some reason, that made Julian laugh. Muriel had never made Julian laugh before, but the sound was bright and the joy in his smile seemed to light up the air between them.
“I see why Asra loves you, too,” Muriel couldn’t help but murmur, his voice trembling slightly.
Julian went still, and Muriel ducked his head.
Being with Asra was easy. They had known each other since childhood, and there was nothing short of death that would keep them from caring for each other. This was not so with Julian. Muriel knew some things about him, but their bond was newly forged and quite easily broken. Though Julian had said it first, weeks ago, it felt strange for Muriel to return the sentiment -- especially now.
“Only Asra?”
Muriel’s head snapped up at Julian’s question, and he was further shocked by the deep blush on the other man’s cheeks. He was flustered, just as Muriel had been. Muriel didn’t know what to do with that. Slowly, he reached across the table to take Julian’s hand, gently brushing his thumb over the doctor’s knuckles; the place he usually kissed Muriel.
“I... don’t know yet,” he confessed. He couldn’t call it love, not yet. But there was something there. Something that made him excited to be able to hold Julian’s hand; that made him anticipate the gentle kisses goodbye. Something that made the air charge at his laughter and the room brighten at his smile.
Something that made his heart pound as Julian leaned closer over the table, cheeks flushed and eyes dilated, beckoning Muriel closer.
For half a second, Muriel wondered if Asra would be upset with them for doing this with him absent. After all, Muriel had never met the other people Asra decided to make time with. But Asra had brought Julian to Muriel. He’d introduced them intentionally, and Muriel had a hard time believing that this wasn’t part of his plan all along.
Muriel leaned over the table to shyly meet Julian halfway. They kissed softly. It was just as gentle as any of Julian’s kisses to Muriel’s hand and made his face burn just as hot. Sparks flew up his spine, and Muriel remembered the first time he kissed Asra, the way he’d trembled. He shivered now, too, gripping the table tightly so he wouldn’t hurt the doctor’s hands. Julian would need his hands and Muriel didn’t need to ruin anything before it could truly begin.
They parted, both panting softly even though the kiss had been light, and slowly returned to their dinner. Muriel couldn’t share with Julian the same intimacy he shared with Asra, not yet. He couldn’t give him more. But a kiss? That was very nice. He could handle that.
Together, they washed their bowls and mugs, and Julian prepared to leave, meaning to make it back to the city before the sun set much lower. He didn’t push Muriel for more than the usual kiss to his hand. But Muriel held Julian’s hand a moment longer, brushing his thumb over his knuckles. They smiled softly at each other, then Julian ducked out of the hut, disappearing into the forest. Muriel turned to prepare his bed for the night, already thinking of the next time when maybe he would tell Asra and Julian about the new wards he was going to put up in the forest.